Bhit Shah
Shrine Of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689 1752), Sufi Poet Of Shah Jo Risalo And National Poet Of Sindh · Bhit Shah, Sindh
Bhit Shah is the shrine of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, the eighteenth-century Sufi poet whose Shah Jo Risalo is the great work of Sindhi literature and whom Sindh regards as its national poet. He lived on this sand mound, a bhit, near a lake, and his tomb was built after his death, covered in blue and white glazed tiles with a mirror-worked interior. What makes Bhit Shah extraordinary is that his poetry is still sung here, every night, by faqirs dressed in black, playing the long-necked tamburo in a style of singing called waee that has been passed down in the shrine since the poet's own time. Sitting in the courtyard at night among them is one of the most moving experiences in Pakistan. The annual urs brings huge crowds, music and a literary conference on his work. Bhit Shah is about an hour north of Hyderabad, and Sindhis travel from across the province and beyond; it is best reached as part of a Sindh trip with Sehwan and Makli.
Bhit Shah town, Matiari District, north of Hyderabad, Bhit Shah, Sindh, Pakistan
Open day and night, with free entry. The faqirs sing in the courtyard in the evenings. The annual urs, in the Islamic month of Safar, brings very large crowds. Bhit Shah is about an hour's drive north of Hyderabad and three to four hours from Karachi.